My new stomping ground

Rockville is not a city that has instant name recognition. In college I used to tell people that I'm from Rockville, MD. I usually get one of three responses. A. The cheerleader routine: a blank face, followed by a forced grin as one "recalls" where that is. B. The Jerk: blank face, then outright smirk, "is it even on the map? is that cow country?" C. Stoner - blank face and complete noncuriosity. I eventually figured out that no one had a clue where I was from. I think some people, the foreign students particularly, even had some trouble pinpointing where Maryland is on the map. But I forgive them, for they know not what they are missing.

This week is an exciting one for me. Why? Because my friend, Rockville has recently opened up a brand spanking new public library smack in the middle of the future urban town center that will be downtown Rockville. The grand opening was on Wednesday night, but to avoid the crowds, I chose to pay a visit on Thursday night.

My was it a beauty! I walked around the temple for books in awe and appreciation. When you walk in, there is a 60 foot floor to ceiling wide open space. There is a winding staircase that leads you to the second floor. On the walls are carved the immortal words by famous people long dead who proclaim the joys of reading. One quote I remember in particular is, "Outside a dog, books are a man's best friend. Inside a dog, well, it'd be too dark to read." Haha, funny right? Appeals to my sense of corniness.

All the furniture are light polished wood, gleaming and pristine. The computer stations for teens are these futuristic setups, with eggshaped chairs and media hub. The whole library is spacious, bright, high ceiling, plush carpets. I never thought being at a library would feel so luxurious. I noticed that many of the books were also brand new, not just old recycled stuff from other branches.

Besides the fact that I'm a lover of books, I think this also bodes well for the future of Rockville. It means that the city is on the path to riches, the city is expanding and the population is booming and maybe, just maybe, one day I can say I hail from Rockville and not have to see a sea of blank faces stare back at me in befuddlement.